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Ep. 43: Trials by Fire & At Least They Left the Snatch Block
Garrick and Melody are back with a packed episode — and a lot of grievances to air before the good stuff kicks in.
Garrick kicks things off fresh off a new MacBook Air M5, finally ditching the decade-old Windows machine. Meanwhile, Melody's had a rough stretch: her 4Runner got broken into (again), she battled pink eye, and her lucky cat had nothing encouraging to say about any of it. She walks through the aftermath — MOLLE panels, a improvised cargo cover fix, and the unexpected silver lining of finally upgrading her Baofeng radio to a USB-C model.
On the gear front, they dig into portable power: Melody joins the Anker family with a new Solix C1000 gen 2, and they compare notes on right-sizing your power station for your actual use case. The segment spirals into a surprisingly deep comparison of WeatherTech vs. Amazon cargo mats for the 5th Gen 4Runner.
Then there's the navigation software saga. With a Utah Capitol Reef trip on the horizon, Garrick has been deep in Gaia GPS sync hell — juggling a phone, an iPad Mini, and a library of waypoints accumulated over years of exploring. ONX gets a shot at redemption and doesn't exactly shine either. If you've ever wanted to hear someone thoroughly roast both leading adventure mapping platforms, this is your episode.
On the bright side: Garrick did a shakedown run up through Chumstick Mountain toward Section 4 of the WABDR, ending up at Shannon Rock Campground near Lake Wenatchee — a free, accessible gem along the river. Everything on the rig worked perfectly, which is exactly what a shakedown run should deliver.
The episode closes with a three-day highlight from Orcas Island, where Garrick volunteered with Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance on trail maintenance. He shares ferry reservation tips for the San Juans (including a staggered release system most people don't know about), breaks down the must-do Mount Constitution drive, and reports on his first — and somewhat painful — attempt at a black diamond trail.
In this episode:
- 4Runner 5th Gen cargo mat shootout: Amazon vs. WeatherTech
- Gaia GPS and ONX: multi-device sync frustrations for power users
- Anker Solix portable power station comparison
- Baofeng radio upgrade (and GMRS licensing basics)
- WABDR Section 4 shakedown: Chumstick Mountain to Lake Wenatchee
- Capitol Reef overlanding preview via Overland Trail Guides
- Orcas Island deep dive: ferry tips, Moran State Park, Mount Constitution, and mountain biking with Evergreen
- AI-generated music: is it okay to like it?
Links
- 4Runner Amazon cargo mat
- Baofeng UV26 Ham Radio
- Window Breakers
- Gaia GPS
- Overland Trail Guides
- Evergreen MTB Alliance Sawyer Program
- NWOR Rally
Send us Fan Mail
Support the show
Remote Trails Radio Instagram @remotetrailsradio
Remote Trails Radio YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@RemoteTrailsRadio
Opening music is Fun by Vibe Tracks https://goo.gl/Vb19cj
View all episodes
By Garrick & MelodyGarrick and Melody are back with a packed episode — and a lot of grievances to air before the good stuff kicks in.
Garrick kicks things off fresh off a new MacBook Air M5, finally ditching the decade-old Windows machine. Meanwhile, Melody's had a rough stretch: her 4Runner got broken into (again), she battled pink eye, and her lucky cat had nothing encouraging to say about any of it. She walks through the aftermath — MOLLE panels, a improvised cargo cover fix, and the unexpected silver lining of finally upgrading her Baofeng radio to a USB-C model.
On the gear front, they dig into portable power: Melody joins the Anker family with a new Solix C1000 gen 2, and they compare notes on right-sizing your power station for your actual use case. The segment spirals into a surprisingly deep comparison of WeatherTech vs. Amazon cargo mats for the 5th Gen 4Runner.
Then there's the navigation software saga. With a Utah Capitol Reef trip on the horizon, Garrick has been deep in Gaia GPS sync hell — juggling a phone, an iPad Mini, and a library of waypoints accumulated over years of exploring. ONX gets a shot at redemption and doesn't exactly shine either. If you've ever wanted to hear someone thoroughly roast both leading adventure mapping platforms, this is your episode.
On the bright side: Garrick did a shakedown run up through Chumstick Mountain toward Section 4 of the WABDR, ending up at Shannon Rock Campground near Lake Wenatchee — a free, accessible gem along the river. Everything on the rig worked perfectly, which is exactly what a shakedown run should deliver.
The episode closes with a three-day highlight from Orcas Island, where Garrick volunteered with Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance on trail maintenance. He shares ferry reservation tips for the San Juans (including a staggered release system most people don't know about), breaks down the must-do Mount Constitution drive, and reports on his first — and somewhat painful — attempt at a black diamond trail.
In this episode:
- 4Runner 5th Gen cargo mat shootout: Amazon vs. WeatherTech
- Gaia GPS and ONX: multi-device sync frustrations for power users
- Anker Solix portable power station comparison
- Baofeng radio upgrade (and GMRS licensing basics)
- WABDR Section 4 shakedown: Chumstick Mountain to Lake Wenatchee
- Capitol Reef overlanding preview via Overland Trail Guides
- Orcas Island deep dive: ferry tips, Moran State Park, Mount Constitution, and mountain biking with Evergreen
- AI-generated music: is it okay to like it?
Links
- 4Runner Amazon cargo mat
- Baofeng UV26 Ham Radio
- Window Breakers
- Gaia GPS
- Overland Trail Guides
- Evergreen MTB Alliance Sawyer Program
- NWOR Rally
Send us Fan Mail
Support the show
Remote Trails Radio Instagram @remotetrailsradio
Remote Trails Radio YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@RemoteTrailsRadio
Opening music is Fun by Vibe Tracks https://goo.gl/Vb19cj